Chris’s American Restaurant, owned by chef Chris Bruno, was a quality dining hotspot in Connecticut. Mr. Bruno bought Fiddler’s Restaurant in Brookfield in 1990 and re-opened shortly afterwards as Chris’s American Restaurant, serving specialties such as shrimp and corn chowder, Chilean sea bass, and 28-day aged prime porterhouse steaks.
Aged beef is highly popular due to its tender consistency and intense flavor. These qualities take form over time, as the moisture evaporates and the natural enzymes present in the cut of meat break down the connective tissue. Aged meat may be wet-aged over a few days and vacuum-packed, or dry-aged over a longer period of time. Dry-aged beef is hung up during the drying process. After approximately 11 days, a significant improvement in tenderness and flavor intensity is noticeable, and this increases for several days afterwards. Many restaurants choose to dry-age beef for 20-30 days, and opt to dry-age only premium cuts of meats, which contain even fat distribution known as marbling. At all times, the room temperature and humidity must be strictly controlled to avoid spoiling and to facilitate the optimal aging process.
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A trained chef and entrepreneur, Chris Bruno assumed ownership of Chris’s American Restaurant in 1990, when it was known as Fiddler’s Restaurant. Chris Bruno renovated both the menu and the restaurant, which opened under its new name, Chris’s American Restaurant, in 2003. During that time, Mr. Bruno served one term with the Connecticut Restaurant Association executive team, where he was instrumental in instituting a smoking ban in all bars and restaurants in the state.
Below is a brief overview of the Connecticut Restaurant Association’s annual awards dinner. Every year, the Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) hosts the Salute to Excellence Awards Dinner to honor and recognize restaurants and restaurant owners for their accomplishments in the industry. The event offers members the opportunity to elect the “best in the Connecticut Restaurant Association.” There are also a number of showcase opportunities through sponsors and vendors for members to be featured in the evening’s program; to be recognized during the dinner; and to secure a spot on the vendor showcase table. As the only not-for-profit organization that represents the restaurant industry in the state of Connecticut, the CRA is the authoritative voice of all restaurants in the state. The organization also promotes Connecticut’s hospitality industry through advocacy, awareness, and education. Chris Bruno, the former owner and chef of Chris’s American Restaurant in Brookfield, Connecticut, helped the local favorite become one of the state’s highest-grossing restaurants. Thanks to his hands-on management skills, he increased the efficiency and marketability of Chris’s American Restaurant when he changed the name from Fiddler’s Restaurant, redecorated, and refocused the menu. However, while being hands-on is an important quality for a restaurant owner and manager to have, cost and time management are just as crucial.
Restaurant managers have to take the time to deal with staffing and scheduling, managing inventory, ordering and receiving orders, talking with customers, and handling many other issues throughout the day. By learning and executing efficient time management, managers can ensure that everything is taken care of while avoiding burnout. Time management can help managers identify areas where processes can be improved or streamlined, thus helping the business manage its costs. Managers also have to watch the financial side of the business, looking out for the costs of food and other supplies, labor, and items like advertising, insurance, and other business matters. Cost management not only ensures that the business has money for the things it needs at the present, but also for future costs like expansion and remodeling. Restaurateur Chris Bruno owned and operated Chris’s American Restaurant from 1990 to 2010. Formerly known as Fiddler’s Restaurant in Brookfield, Connecticut, Bruno changed the name to Chris’s American Restaurant in 2003 as a nod to the restaurant’s American cuisine. A former chef, Bruno purchased the restaurant at the age of 24.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when opening a new restaurant. Do a little homework – It is advisable to conduct a little research regarding the area prior to establishing the restaurant. Knowing in advance whether or not customers in the area prefer fine dining or café-style food will help to determine what type of restaurant should be opened and what measures need to be taken in order to distinguish oneself from the competition. Consider the location – In doing research, one should evaluate the location to ensure it is accessible to everyone. It is unlikely that a restaurant will be successful if people don’t know about it or are unable to get to it. Select the right chef – In addition to investing in the guest experience, it is important to invest in the right chef. The chef and his or her culinary creations play an important role in what delights current customers, encourages them to return, and attracts new guests. Brookfield chef Chris Bruno, formerly of Fiddler’s Restaurant and Chris's American Restaurant, knows a thing or two about running a successful upscale eatery. First, of course, is the food. Bruno’s specialty is “progressive” or “creative” American cuisine, which combines traditional local favorites with exotic flavors like wasabi, wild mushrooms, tuna carpaccio, and duck liver paté. Whatever the fare, the food must fit the tastes of the community. “There’s a higher level of sophistication among restaurant patrons here in the Northeast than in other parts of the country,” Bruno has said of his clientele.
Along with its food, a restaurant’s décor needs to stay fresh and interesting to keep up with modern sensibilities. When Bruno started renovating Chris's American Restaurant back in 2003, he knew he needed an exciting, cosmopolitan space to match his cuisine. “Customers today want to feel hip,” Bruno stated in a recent interview, “and savvy restaurateurs are appealing to an increasingly image-conscious culture.” The culinary arts are steadily gaining interest in mainstream culture. Shows like Iron Chef and Hell’s Kitchen are entertainment phenomena, but according to the former owner of Chris’s American Restaurant, many individuals are unaware of what defines a chef. Below is an overview of several specific chef types provided by the former owner of Chris’s American Restaurant and Fiddler’s Restaurant, Chris Bruno: Executive - Number one in the establishment, the executive chef oversees all kitchen activity including menu planning, food quality and preparation, and cost control. Sous - Assistant to the executive chef, the sous is responsible for training other chefs. If the executive chef is unavailable, the sous chef fills in as needed. Pastry - Responsible for preparing breads and pastries, this chef plans desserts, coupling them with beverages such as wine or coffee. Chef de partie - Found in larger restaurants, the chef de partie is a chef that performs a specific task. For example, a saucier that creates sautéed food or a grillardin that prepares grilled items. Garde manager - A chef responsible for the presentation of all cold foods. The garde manager is also responsible for buffet table appearance, as well as cold sauces and other dressings. Chris's American Restaurant served progressive, regional food in Brookfield, Connecticut. Owner Chris Bruno sold the restaurant, formerly know as Fiddler's Restaurant, to Eli Hawli. Having served as head chef at Chris's American Restaurant, Chris Bruno offers a few tips for preparing the perfect steak.
The perfect steak starts with the right cut of meat, says Chris Bruno. Prime steak cuts offer the most marbling, which translates to rich flavor. Grass-fed, organic meats are generally of higher quality as well. Pat the meat dry before cooking, and season with your choice of rubs. Even applying a salted crust and nothing more will render a flavorful steak. Chefs diverge on whether or not it's wise to add fat to the meat. Some choose to brush the meat with butter or oil; others prefer not to add any fat at all. Perhaps it depends on the level of indulgence you're going for. Cooking temperature and time will depend on the size and thickness of the meat's cut, though it's recommended to use a fairly hot pan for quick searing. That way, you'll only need to cook each side for a few minutes, preserving the juiciness inside. The perfect steak takes trial and error; good luck, and enjoy! Today, the idea of American cuisine includes local foods, regionalism, and different cultures. According to a study by the James Beard Foundation, many Americans believe that American cuisine can be better defined by its characteristics than by specific dishes. The great majority of survey respondents believed that an American cuisine does in fact exist. While not as many agreed on a proper definition, a majority chose to describe American cuisine with the words "region," "regional," or "culture." According to the respondents, the primary characteristics of food in America were similarly general, including descriptions of American cuisine as "mom's cooking," "adapted from different cultures," and "very regional." The foundation's study went on to conclude that at its core, American cuisine reflects the fusion and diversity that characterizes the country itself.
Progressive American cuisine builds on this understanding. Some world-class chefs who define their cooking as progressive American cuisine represent a style that uses regional American ingredients to interpret classical European techniques. Yet progressive American cuisine remains a consistently evolving work in progress, and all of us understand fusion and diversity in different ways. At Chris's American Restaurant, our American cuisine included ingredients from all over the world, a nod to the time I spent studying with a chef from Europe who had cooked in kitchens worldwide. However, I also relied on classical techniques and well-known dishes such as filet mignon and New York strip. Our appetizers included duck liver pâté, steamed mussels, and crab cakes, while our dinner entrees encompassed Bourbon Street chicken, veal porcini, and tortilla-wrapped tuna. The very reason we reopened Fiddler's Restaurant as Chris's American Restaurant was to give our customers a better sense of the story we told, and our menu spoke to a sophisticated diversity that maintained the highest standards of quality. Professionally, I have worked as a chef and restaurant owner throughout my career as the proprietor of Fiddler's Restaurant and then Chris's American Restaurant in Brookfield, Connecticut. In addition, I support several charities. What follows is a description of one of those organizations, the Ryan McElroy Children’s Cancer Foundation.
Founded by the family and friends of Ryan McElroy, the foundation raises funds to assist children living with cancer or other life-threatening diseases. Ryan McElroy was just short of five years old when he lost his battle with cancer. The Ryan McElroy Children’s Cancer Foundation hosts an annual wine, beer, and food festival in October. Attendees can buy tickets to the event online for $40 each. In addition, the charity encourages donations through its online donation page. Other events hosted by the Ryan McElroy Children’s Cancer Foundation include a volleyball tournament, a Christmas card fundraiser, a golf outing, and several school-based events. The Ryan McElroy Children’s Cancer Foundation has also hosted fund raising galas. Corporate sponsors of the Ryan McElroy Children’s Cancer Foundation include Topical BioMedics, Cablevision, Clear Channel, Total Webcasting Solutions, and Excel Print and Promotions. For more information on the Ryan McElroy Children’s Cancer Foundation, visit ryansfoundation.org. |
AuthorChris's American Restaurant (Fiddler's Restaurant in Brookfield, CT) delivered progressive American food enlivened by international and domestic regional influences to customers throughout the Brookfield, Connecticut, area. Archives
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